This article chronicles the spread of the Franciscan Order of Roman Catholic friars in Modern Times. The Order of Friars Minor and other Franciscan movements are disciples of Saint Francis of Assisi. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... A friar is a member of a religious mendicant order of men. ...

New Congregations

The regulations of Pope Leo X brought a notable increase of strength to the Observantist branch, and many conventual houses joined them -- in France all but forty-eight, in Germany the greater part, in Spain practically all. But this very growth was fatal to the internal unity and strength of the strict party. The need for new reforms soon became apparent, and the action of Leo X, far from consolidating the order, gave rise to a number of new branches. The most important of these are: the Capuchins, founded in 1525 by Matteo Bassi and established in 1619 by Paul V as a separate order; the Discalced Franciscans, founded as a specially strict Observantist congregation at Bellacazar in Spain by Juan de Puebla toward the end of the fifteenth century, compelled by Leo X to unite with the regular Observantists, but soon afterward reestablished as an independent branch by Juan de Guadelupe (d. 1580), and subsequently obtaining some importance in Spain and Portugal; the Alcantarines, a very strict congregation founded in 1540 by Peter of Alcántara, and distinguished by remarkable achievements in the mission field; the Italian Riformati, founded about 1525 near Rieti by two Spanish Observantists, and becoming comparatively wide-spread from the beginning of the seventeenth century through the favour of Pope Clement VIII and Pope Urban VIII; the French Recollects, originating at Nevers in 1592, formed into a distinct congregation by Clement VIII in 1602, and important in later missionary history, especially in Canada. Leo X, born Giovanni di Lorenzo de Medici (11 December 1475, Florence – 1 December 1521, Rome), pope between 1513 and his death, is known primarily for his failure to stem the Protestant Reformation, which began during his reign when Martin Luther first attacked the Roman Catholic Church. ... The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (OFM Cap) is an order of friars in the Roman Catholic Church, the chief and only permanent offshoot of the Franciscans. ... Events January 21 - The Swiss Anabaptist Movement was born when Conrad Grebel, Felix Manz, George Blaurock, and about a dozen others baptized each other in the home of Manzs mother on Neustadt-Gasse, Zürich, breaking a thousand-year tradition of church-state union. ... Events May 13 - Dutch statesman Johan van Oldenbarnevelt is executed in The Hague after having been accused of treason. ... Painting of Pope Paul V by Caravaggio Paul V, né Camillo Borghese (Rome, September 17, 1550 - January 28, 1621) was Pope from May 16, 1605 until his death. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... Events March 1 - Michel de Montaigne signs the preface to his most significant work, Essays. ... Events January 6 - King Henry VIII of England marries Anne of Cleves, his fourth Queen consort. ... Roman bridge of Alcántara Alcántara is a municipality (pop. ... Events January 21 - The Swiss Anabaptist Movement was born when Conrad Grebel, Felix Manz, George Blaurock, and about a dozen others baptized each other in the home of Manzs mother on Neustadt-Gasse, Zürich, breaking a thousand-year tradition of church-state union. ... Rieti is a town in the Latium, Italy. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Clement VIII, born Ippolito Aldobrandini (March 1536, Fano, Italy– March 5, 1605, Rome) was pope from 1592 to 1605. ... Urban VIII, né Maffeo Barberini (April 1568 - July 29, 1644) was pope from 1623-1644. ... Nevers is a commune of central France, the préfecture (capital) of the Nièvre département, in the former province of Nivernais. ... Events January 30 - The death of Pope Innocent IX during the previous year had left the Papal throne vacant. ... This page is about the year. ...

Status in 1910

The Franciscans also rendered important services to the cause of the Counterreformation in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, rivaling the Jesuit order in zeal, and frequently suffering martyrdom for their faith in England, the Netherlands, and Germany. During the ninteenth century the possessions of the order have been much reduced by the storms of the French Revolution, the German secularizations since 1803, and the political changes of Spain, Italy, and France. On the other hand, there has been a considerable extension in many parts of the order, especially in North America. The 1910 statistics of the three principal male branches of the order are approximately as follows: The Counter-Reformation or the Catholic Reformation was a strong reaffirmation of the doctrine and structure of the Catholic Church, climaxing at the Council of Trent, partly in reaction to the growth of Protestantism. ... The Society of Jesus (Societas Iesu/Jesu (S.J.) in Latin) is a Christian religious order of the Roman Catholic Church in direct service to the Pope. ... Historically, a martyr is a person who dies for his or her religious faith. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: England Travel guide to England from Wikitravel English language English law English (people) List of monarchs of England – Kings of England family tree List of English people Angeln (region in northern Germany, presumably the origin of the Angles for whom England is named) UK... During the French Revolution (1789-1799) democracy and republicanism replaced the absolute monarchy in France, and the French sector of the Roman Catholic Church was forced to undergo radical restructuring. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is a continent in the northern hemisphere bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the... 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

Order of Friars Minor

1,500 houses, comprised in about 100 provinces and Custodiae, with about 16,000 members. In 1897 distinctions between the Observants, Discalced, Recollects and Riformati were dissolved by Pope Leo XIII and they were joined under a common set of constitutions. This Order is now called simply the Order of Friars Minor. Despite the tensions caused by this forced union the Order grew from 1897 to reach a peak of 26,000 members in the 1960s before declining from the 1970s onwards. In Poland the order is also known as the Bernardines. Pope Leo XIII, born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci (March 2, 1810 – July 20, 1903), was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, having succeeded Blessed Pius IX on February 20, 1878 and reigning until his own death. ... Franciscans is the common name used to designate a variety of mendicant religious orders of men or women tracing their origin to Francis of Assisi and following the Rule of St. ...

Conventuals

The Conventual Franciscans consist of 290 houses, principally in Italy, but also in Bavaria, Austria, Romania, Turkey, etc. Conventual Franciscans Headline text The Order of Friars founded by St, Francis of Assisi in 1209 The viability of the Franciscan movement after the founders death depended upon a thorough assessment of the Orders role within the social situation. ...

Capuchins

The Capuchins are the youngest branch of Franciscans, going back to 1525, when some Friars Minor in the Marches wanted to live a stricter life of prayer and poverty to be closer to the original intentions of St. Francis. Thanks to the support of the Papal Court the new branch received early recognition and grew fast, first in Italy, and since 1574 all over Europe. The name Capuchins refers to the peculiar shape of the long hood; originally a popular nickname, it has become a part of the official name of the Order (Order of Friars Minor Capuchin), which now exists in 99 countries all over the world, with around 11,000 brothers living in more than 1800 communities (fraternities, friaries). Simplicity, closeness to the people, a fraternal spirit in their houses and apostolate are visible signs that mark their lifestyle. The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (OFM Cap) is an order of friars in the Roman Catholic Church, the chief and only permanent offshoot of the Franciscans. ... Events April 14 - Battle of Mookerheyde. ... The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an order of friars in the Roman Catholic Church, the chief and only permanent offshoot from the Franciscans. ...

Regular Tertiaries

The Regular Tertiaries, officially the Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Penance, follow a rule approved by Pope Leo X. They form less than a score of houses -- two in Rome, five in Sicily, seven in Austria, and two in the United States. Leo X, born Giovanni di Lorenzo de Medici (11 December 1475, Florence – 1 December 1521, Rome), pope between 1513 and his death, is known primarily for his failure to stem the Protestant Reformation, which began during his reign when Martin Luther first attacked the Roman Catholic Church. ... City motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus – SPQR (The Senate and the People of Rome) Founded 21 April 753 BC mythical, 1st millennium BC Region Latium Mayor Walter Veltroni (Left-Wing Democrats) Area  - City Proper  1290 km² Population  - City (2004)  - Metropolitan  - Density (city proper) 2,546,807 almost 4,000,000 1... Sicilian disambiguates here; see also Sicilian language or Sicilian Defence. ...

These figures show a great contrast to the strength of the order at the end of the Middle Ages, when it had over 8,000 houses, of which the 1,300 Observantist communities alone numbered 30,000 members, or even in the middle of the seventeenth century when there were about 70,000 members, divided into 150provinces. The noteworthy proportional decline of the non-Observantist section shows that the oder to this day presents more attraction as it remains truest to its original principles. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...

Secular Franciscan Order

The Secular Franciscan Order, known as the Third Order Secular of St. Francis prior to 1978, is an order founded by St. Francis in 1212 for brothers and sisters who do not live in a religious community. Members of the order continue to live secular lives, however they do gather regularly for fraternal activities. In the United States alone there are 17,000 professed members of the order. 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ... Events The first Great Fire of London burns most of the city to the ground Battle of Navas de Tolosa Childrens crusade Crusaders push the Muslims out of northern Spain In Japan, Kamo no Chōmei writes the Hōjōki, one of the great works of classical Japanese...

References

• This article incorporates text from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, which is in the public domain.
• US National Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order
• Order of the Franciscans of the Holy Cross - a secular Ecumenical Franciscan Order